Black Market
A black market sometimes offers more valuable items and more powerful spellcasting services than the settlement in which it is found, but such items and services cost half again more (+50%) than their normal market price unless noted otherwise. Black markets by their very nature are illegal, whether because the sellers and buyers are criminals, local taxes and tariffs aren’t paid, or the items or services are banned or stolen.Black markets have stat blocks similar to those of settlements and function as settlements except as noted here. A black market is tied to a settlement that must have at least at least 201 inhabitants (small town or larger), and its population can never exceed half its settlement’s population. A mobile market uses the nearest settlement as its host settlement for the purpose of its statistics. A black market stat block is organized as follows. Name: The black market’s name is presented first. Alignment and Type: A black market’s alignment almost always differs from that of its settlement, and the majority of the black market’s workers and regulars are within one step of the market’s alignment rather than the settlement’s. A black market’s alignment does not affect its modifiers; all black markets instead apply +1 Corruption and Crime modifiers. The type is indicative of the black market’s size, whether it’s a hideout, a den, a hotbed, an underbelly, an underground, or an underworld. A black market’s type determines many of its statistics (see the tables below). Access: This is the DC of the Diplomacy check to gather the information required to learn about and access the black market. Success reveals how to visit the black market. Failure by 4 or less reveals the market’s existence and best-known attributes but not how to access it. Failure by 5 or more attracts unwanted attention or a false lead, and the check cannot be retried for 1 day. The GM might rule that failure by 5 of more results in a random encounter, with criminals who shake down nosy PCs or authorities who question the PCs’ search for illegal goods. Regardless of success, each attempt costs 2d4 gp since PCs must buy drinks or otherwise bribe informants.A Knowledge (local) check against the black market’s access DC reveals general information about the black market and its best-known patrons; failure by 5 or less reveals rumors of its existence. Modifiers: A black market’s modifiers are cumulative with those of its settlement. Qualities: A black market’s qualities are in addition to those of its settlement. Duplicated qualities don’t stack. Danger: A black market’s danger value from its type is added to that of its settlement and applies nearby as well as within the black market itself. Disadvantages: A black market’s disadvantages are in addition to those of its settlement. Disadvantages duplicated by both a black market and its host settlement don’t stack. Government: This entry lists how the black market is run. Most black markets are anarchies or run by secret syndicates. Modifiers for government types duplicated between a black market and its host settlement don’t stack. Population: This number represents the number of people who regularly sell, buy, or otherwise maintain contact with the black market. Most are not present at any given time. Notable NPCs: This entry lists the key NPCs’ roles, names, and abbreviated statistics. Base Value, Purchase Limit, Spellcasting, and Minor Items/Medium Items/Major Items: These values are set by the black market’s type. Black Market Statistics Available Magic Items and Spellcasting Black Market Qualities In addition to settlement qualities, black markets can have any of the following qualities. Diverse Economy : The black market attracts an especially wide array of vendors. ( Economy +1; increase base price by 20%; double magic item availability ) Mobile: The market relocates often within its settlement, or operates from a roving caravan. ( Access DC +3; Economy –1; Lore +1 ) Official Understanding: The black market is tolerated by government authorities. Guards might be authorized to look the other way to keep the peace or they accept bribes to provide security. (Access DC –8; Corruption +1; Law +3) Persecuted Enclave: The black market hosts a cult or another minority persecuted by the wider society. (Access DC +2; Corruption, Crime, and Economy –1; increase base price by 20%) Secretive: The black market is particularly difficult for outsiders to find. ( Access DC +2) Specialized Market : The black market specializes in one or a few types of items or services. ( Lore +2 regarding related topics; increase base price and purchase limit by 50% for related items) Black Market Disadvantage In addition to settlement disadvantages, black markets can have the following disadvantage. Violent : Monsters or violent criminals take advantage of the black market’s isolation from government protection. (Economy, Law, and Society –2; Danger +10 Known Black Markets (Use Black Market) Black Market